Concrete products molding machine



Jan. 8, 1952 R. o. DAViS CONCRETE PRODUCT MOLDING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 28, 1948 INVENTOR. ROBERT O. DAVIS BY 2 QTTORNEV Jan. 8, 1952 R. o. DAVIS 2,531,579

CONCRETE PRODUCT MOLDING MACHINE Filed Sept. 28, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ila/Q INVEN TOR.

2 BY Robin-r O. DAVIS A TTORNEV Jan. 8, 1952 Filed Sept. 28, 1948 R. O. DAVIS CONCRETE PRODUCT MOLDING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Rosem- O. DAVIS BY%%M A 7" TORNEY Patented Jan. 8, 1952 CONCRETE PRODITCTS MOLDING MACHINE a Robert 0. Davis, Adrian, Mich., assignor to Gene.

Olsen Corporation, Adrian, .Mich., a. corpora-H tion .of Michigan Application September 28, 1948, Serial No. 51,553

12 Claims.

The present invention relates to a molding machine for molding plastic materials such as concrete productsand more particularly to such a machine in which one or more moldsare moved through a timed machine cycle in which a pallet is provided for the mold, the mold is moved toa filling station, vibrated and filled with a concrete mix of moldable consistency, the filled mold is moved while beingvibrated to a finishing station where the concrete mix is molded into final form for removing from the mold after which the pallet and molded but uncured mix is removed from the mold and the machine cycle is repeated. l

The prior Gelbman Patent No. 2,431,034 discloses a molding machine for the manufacture of bricks and similar materials. In this machine, a vibrating table is employed. The mold i filled while on the table which is vibrated to densify the material adjacent the bottom of 'the mold. The filled mold is moved from the vibrating table over a pallet which closes the bottom of thefilled and partially compacted mold at the compression station where it is held while pressure and vibration is applied to compact the material in the top of the mold. Since .the vibrating table acts chiefly on the material in thebottom of the mold and the vibrating pressure head acts chieflywon the material in the tcpof the mold, it will be seen that the molded material has its greatest density on the top and bottom portions thereof.

As distinguished from the said Gelbmanpatent, the machine ofthe present invention utilizes a mold havinga vibrator connected directly therewith which is operated to vibrate the entire mold during the filling of the mold and while the .mold is in motion and at the finishing station inorder thereby to assure a substantially uniform density throughout the mass of the moldedmaterial. The pallet is utilized as an integral part of the mold and may either be locked against the bottom of the mold, in which instance it is removable therefrom to permit the removal of .the molded mix through the bottom of the mold, or, if desifredfa cored palletshaped like the bottom'surfaceo f the unit to be molded maybefedinto the mold from the top of the mold, in which case the finished unit is removed from the mold byfpushing the pallet and block up through the top of the mold.

In either instance, the moldis vibrated at all times during the filling, the movement of the filled mold to the finishing station, and during the compaction of thematerial at ,the finishing station.

It is an important objectiof the present :invention to provide a molding machine uin'iwhichya viother portions of themachine.

brating mold is provided which is filled While -vibrating with a mix of moldable consistency which is compacted to a substantial extent during the filling operation and is then moved to a finshing station where the mix in the filled mold-is finally compacted and the pallet and finallymolded mix are then removed fromthe mold.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a molding machine of novel design which may utilize a plurality of separate molds to permit the simultaneousmanufactureof aplurality of molded products of different sizes and shapes on a single machine.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a concrete products 'moldingmachine of novel and simplified design andin'which the mold boxes are each mounted on a separate carriage and provided with separate vibrators whereby vibration is localized in the mold boxes and their carriage and is effectively bld ked off from 'It is a further object of the present invention to provide a concrete products molding machine having an automatically timed power actuated ycle which provides a high volume output (if molded products per .man hour.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a concrete products molding machine of novel, rugged, and compact construction in which relatively few moving parts are p idejd and in which wear on such moving parts is held to a minimum to provide amachinehaving a long, useful service life.

It is afurther object of the present invention .to

provide a concrete products molding .rnachine having a novel mold box and pellet assembly which permits feeding the pallet tothebottom of the mold boxand the removal-of the compressed moldedc-oncretemix and pallet from the bottom of the mom box, .thus facilitating the removal of the pallet and the.compresse'd uncured molded material from themachine. It is a further .objectof the present invention to provide a concret products molding machine having a feed hopper whose openrmouth portion is mounted above ,a reciprocating mold box con- .nected with a sliding .gate member for selectively closing the open mouth of said feed hopperexcept when. a mold is inv filling position thereund r.

It is a further object of the present invention :to provide ,a concrete productsmolding machine in which the vibrating, reciprocating mold :boxes are carriedon a carriage movable one trackiexe @tending from th fillin station t0 the finishing station whereby the mold boxes, while vibratin 3 are alternately reciprocated between said stations to permit the simultaneous filling of one box and compaction of the mix in a previously filled box,

- thus providing a machine of relatively high output capacity.

Other objects of this invention will appear in the following description and appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an end elevation showing a, molding machine embodying the present invention with certain parts of the machine structure being partially shown.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the machine shown in Fig. 1 with certain of the structural parts being partially shown.

Fig. 3 is a top plan of the machine shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of the machine, taken substantially along the line 4--4 of Fig. 3.

Before explaining the present invention in detail it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

A molding machine embodying the present invention is shown in the accompanying drawings as applied to the manufacture of concrete products and comprises a plurality of inter-related machine elements, power actuated in timed relation to each other to provide a work cycle which includes feeding a removable pallet to the mold, filling the mold with a concrete mix, moving the filled'mold to a finishing station where compaction of the material in the moldis completed and then removing the pallet with the compacted mix to unload the mold for the next cycle. Controlled vibration of the mold boxes is utilized at all times during the mold filling operation and during the final compaction of the materials therein. The machine shown in the drawings and to be hereinafter more fully described is a concrete block machine adapted to produce structural concrete blocks having a hollow cored central portion surrounded by solid walls which are centrally connected by a plurality of webs extending across said cored central portions. The mold boxes and finishing heads here shown and the magnitude of the movement of the machine parts as indicated in the drawings are particularly designed to produce such structural concrete blocks. It is to be understood, however, that a machine embodying the principles of the present invention may be readily adapted for the production of other forms of molded concrete products by providing mold boxes and pallets suited to the production of such other products and by adjusting the timing and the magnitude of movements of the machine elements to suit such changed requirements.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to Fig. 3, the numeral I designates a base on each end of which is mounted track supports and I2 which support the turntables l3 and I4 respectively which provide a rotatable connection between the tracks of the reciprocating table I5 and the unloading tracks l6 and I! provided at each- 4 end of the reciprocating table |5. Each of the supports I and I2 is provided with a plurality of anti-friction load carrying rollers l8 which support the ends of the reciprocating table 55 at all times during its movements.

The machine shown in the drawings utilizes two mold boxes 28 and 2| and two finishing heads 22 and 23. It is to be understood however, that additional mold boxes and additional finishing heads may be employed if desired.

As viewed in Fig. 2, the finishing heads 22 and 23 are located on the right and left sides respectively of a centrally located feed supply hopper 24.

The mold boxes 20 and 2| are each mounted in an identical manner on cross heads '25 and 26 which may also form two of the sides of the mold boxes. The mold boxes 20 and 2| are closed at 7 their ends, but are open both at the top and the bottom. Any suitable conventional type of core member may either be secured in the mold boxes 20 and 2| or provided as a part of the removable pallet element as desired. Since such core members are of conventional construction and as such are known to those skilled in this art, the details thereof are omitted from the drawings and the description herein.

As shown in Fig. 1, the cross heads 25 and 26 are each provided with end portions 21 and 28 which are mounted respectively on pads 39 and 3| of resilient, vibration absorbing material through which the cross heads 25 and 26 are connected with the moveable inverted V-shaped ways 32 and 33 which are supported for sliding movement on fixed ways 34 and 35 which, are mounted respectively on a plurality of supporting posts 36 and 31 fixed to the base l0. If desired, any suitable conventional type of antifriction connection may be provided between the sliding ways 32 and 33 and fixed ways 34 and 35.

The fixed ways 34 and 35 thus provide an elevated track which extends longitudinally of both the front and back portions of the base 18 and which is supported in vertically spaced relation thereto. The moveable ways 32 and 33 and the cross heads '25 and 26 provide a moveable carriage which travels as a unit on the fixed ways 34 and 35 in a reciprocating movement which carries the mold boxes 29 and 2! from the filling position below the feed hopper 24 to the finishing station below the finishing heads 22 and 23. The mold boxes 20 and 2| are resiliently attached by a rubber washer 40a at their adjacent top edges to a gate 40 which slides directly under the open bottom of the feed hopper 24. The washer 40a is preferably bonded to both the mold box and the gate 40. Any suitable type of resilient attachment may be used which will connect the mold boxes 20 and 2| and the gate 49 for movement as a unit and which will insulate the gate 48 against vibrations transmitted from said mold boxes. The portion of the gate Ml which extends between the mold boxes 26 and 2| is of such a size that it will cut 01f the flow of material through the open bottom of the feed hopper 2 except when an empty mold box is in its filling position directly below said open bottom portion.

The mold boxes 20 and 2| and the gate 48 are reciprocated relative to the feed hopper by a plurality of synchronized power actuated cylinders 4| which are suitably mounted above and parallel to the fixed ways 34 and 35 and are connected with a fixed portion of the frame of the machine. Each of the cylinders 4| has a piston (not shown) and connecting rod whose end 42 is connected by a suitable connector 4-3with the movable ways 32 and 33.

Actuation of the cylinders 4| to effect movement of the piston-and theconnecting rod is by any desired type of pressure fluid and is controlled by any conventional type of pressure fluid cam actuated control valve. -Such controls and valves are conventional and are therefore omitted from the present drawingsand disclosure.

The open bottom-of each of the mold boxes 29 and'2l is closed during the filling and'finishing operation by a removable pallet 44 which, in the embodiment of the invention here shown, is supported on pairs or vertically moveable palletsupport arms .45 and 46 which aremounted for vertical sliding movement on pairs M and -48 of parallel spaced depending guide rods, the upper ends ofeach pairof which are secured respectively to the crossheads .50 and '51.

The lower ends of each of the pairs 41 and 43 of the. depending guide rods extend below the reciprocating table and are connected to a bottom plate 52. Eachpa-irx45 and 46 of thepallet support arms is moved vertically by, a fiuidpower actuated cylinder 53 .whose upper end isrsecured to one of the cross heads to or. 5| .andwhose connecting rod 54' is connected with the crosstie 55 which is connected with each pair.45 and .46 of the pallet support arms. The cross heads 59 and 5| are rigidly secured to the cross heads 2.5 and 26, such as by welding. By this construction, extension or retraction of the connecting rod 54 by movement of themovable piston in the cylinder 53 in responseto the fiow of pressure fluid thereto will lower or raise the pallet 4 as required for the operationof the machine.

The pallets 44 are raised to close the bottom of the mold boxes and 2| prior to the filling thereof and areheld in placethereon'bythe pairs of pallet support arms 45 and 45 which are provided on the opposite sides of the pallet. Any suitable type of conventional locking devices (and hence not shown) may be employed to hold the pairs 45 and 46 of-the pallet support arms in position to hold the pallet 44 tightly in place on the bottom of the mold boxes 20and 2| during the filling thereof and during .thecompressionof the material therein.

As shown in Fig. 1, each of the pallet support arms is extended to undelie a major portion of eachside edge of the pallet 44 and thus to take a large portion of the load to which the pallet is subjected during the compaction ofthe material in the mold boxes 2lland. 2|.

Each of the mold boxes 20 and 2! is subjected to high frequency vibration duringthefilling of the mold boxes and during the finish molding of the concrete-mix therein. The-vibrations utilized are generated by any suitable type of power driven vibrator which preferably is connected with the bottom plate 52. The power driven vi- =brator shown in the drawings is one preferred type and comprises a vibrator housing 60 in which a rapidly rotating unbalanced shaft BI is mounted. The rapidly rotating unbalanced shaft 6| is power driven by any suitable means, such for example as a high speedelectric motor 52. Thevibrations thus developed are of high frequency but of relatively low magnitude. The vibrator housingtil is therefore suspendedirom the ends 63 of a plurality of leaf springs. Each of the said leaf type springs is connected midway of its ends with a saddle 54 which is secured to the bottom plate 52.

'Thus, upon operationof the motor62, the unbalanced shaft .6! .is rapidly rotatediand sets up the primary vibratiqgs of high frequency but. of

"low magnitude in the vibrator housing 60. The

magnitude is increased by the leaf type springs and the resultant vibration forces are transmitted to the bottom plate 52 and through the slide rods 41 and 48 to the mold boxes 20 and 2|. Since the cross heads 25 and 2B are mounted on the pads 30 and 3| of the resilient vibration absorbing material, it will be seen that the vibration is localized in the mold boxes and the moveable mold box carriage assembly.

By controlling the actuation of the motor 62 through suitable conventional types of switches and relays (not shown) the actuation of the vibrator is timed sothat the mold boxes 26 and 2| are vibrated after the pallet 44 is imposition to close the bottom and after the moldbox is moved to the filling position. The vibration is started during the filling operation. Itis utilized during the movement of the filled mold box to the finishing station and during the. finishing operation. The vibration is preferably discontinued as soon as the molding of the material in the mold boxes is completed. This tends to prevent breakage or crumbling of the moldedbut uncured material as it leaves the mold.

Each of the finishing heads 22 and 23 comprises a solid top plate ii! to which is secured a plurality of spaced dependingplungers H which are of suitable size, shape and placement to fit in the open portion of the mold boxes 20 and 21 and surround the core portions therein. The finish ing heads 22 and 23 act as retaining members whenmoved into themold boxes 20 and 2| and hold the concrete mix therein during the finishing of the molding operation. Some pressure is exerted by the heads on the material in the mold boxes 20 and 2!, but is not relied upon to complete the compaction of the mix. This is accomplished chiefly by the continued vibration of the mold boxes while the mix is held against move ment therein by the finishing heads 22 and 23. The finishing heads 22 and 23 in addition, provide a finished surface on the compacted mix and, in the present machine, also act as rams to assist in removing the mix and pallet from the mold. Each of the finishing heads 22 and 23 is bodily moveable vertically relative to the mold boxes 2!] and 2| to such an extent that the plunger-s l! are completely withdrawn from the tops of the mold boxes 29 and 2| after ejection of the finished molded material therefrom. This permits free sliding movement of the mold boxes 23 and-2| from the finishing station to the filling station and vice versa.

Each of the fi nishing heads 22 and 23 is actuated by a fluid pressure actuated cylinder 12 mounted on a fixed cross beam 13 forming a structural part of the machine. The movable piston in the cylinder 12 is connectedwith one end of a connecting rod 74 whose other end is fixed to the top plate, 10. Pressure fluid is sup pl ed to the cylinder 12 through any suitable system of conventional control valves (not shown) which are actuated by any desired type of timing means (not shown) to efiect actuation of the cylinder 12 to raise or lower the finishing heads 22 and 23 in timedrelation to the sliding movement of the mold boxes 20 and 2| and to exert such controlled pressures thereon as may be required to finish the molding of the mixand to unloadthe mold.

The feed hopper 24 is provided with a plurality of separate bailie type-rotating agitators; 15 lo cated in the discharge throat thereof. The agitators 15 are drivenby any suitablepower means such for example as an electric motor 16 which is connected therewith through any suitable conventional drive gear mechanism (not shown).

The agitators 1.5 are rotated during the filling of the molds 20 and 2| to prevent sticking or bridging of the concrete mix inthe throat or mouth portion of the hopper 24 and thus assure a positive filling of the mold boxes 20 and 2| with the proper amount of the concrete mix during each filling operation.

After completion of the finish molding operation, the pallet 44 is lowered by the pallet support arms 45 and 46 as the finishing head in the mold is moved downwardly in synchronism therewith. This unloads the mold and the pallet 44 and the molded material thereonis placed on the reciprocating table which includes the spaced, connected parallel side frames 81] and 8|, the ends of which are supported for bodily movement on the anti-friction load carrying rollers I8. Pallet guide fingers 82 are mounted in the reciprocating table l5 and engage the edge of the pallet 44'to hold the pallet in position over the pallet support arms.

The reciprocating table [5 is actuated by a suitably mounted fiuid power actuated cylinder 85 which is supplied with power fiuid in timed sequence with the operation of the entire machine so that the reciprocating table |5 is moved to its extreme positions only after the pallet 44 and a molded but uncured block 84 rests thereon.

The turn tables I3 and I4 as here shown are designed for manual operation, but it is to be understood that they may be power operated in timed sequence by any suitable type of power actuated devices.

Operation of the machine The operation of the above described machine will be best understood by reference to Fig. 2. As

shown here, the mold box 2| is in its open position and the pallet 44 which is to close the bottom thereof is located below it and is supported on the reciprocating table I5 directly above the palletsupport arms 45 and 4t. Atthe extreme left of this view will be seen the pallet 44 carrying an uncured block 84. This pallet 44 formerly had closed the bottom of the mold box 2| but has been lowered to rest on the end otthe reciprocating table i5 with the molded but uncured block 84 thereon. As here shown, the pallet 44 with the molded but uncured block thereon has been moved with the reciprocating table 55 away from the position directly beneath the mold box 2| which it had occupied immediately after its removal from the said mold box.

As will be seen from the position of the block 84, as shown in this figure, the pallet 44 and the block 84 have not been turned on the turntable l4 but are in position to be turned thereon for movement along the track H to the curing racks (not shown). As shown in this view, another pallet 44 has been placed on the table it, preferably by insertion between the guides il, while the table I5 is in position so that the member B2underlies the closed mold box 20. When the table I5 moves to the position here shown, the pallet 44 is brought into position under mold box 2| and is ready to be raised to close the bottom of the said mold box.

It is to be understood that while the present disclosure does not show an automatic means for supplying the pallet 44 from a pallet supply to the table |5, such operation may be employed, if desired. Such pallet ieedmechanisms are well known in this art and any suitable conventional type may be employed herewith.

The mold box 20 as shown in this figure isin position directly under the material feeding hopper 24. When the agitators 15 are rotated, the agitated concrete mix is fed through the open mouth of the hopper 24 and fills the mold box 20.

Various types of conventional control devices may be employed to assure complete filling of the mold box before operation of the machine. The use of the agitators 15 in the throat of the hopper 24 has beenfound to be satisfactory to assure filling of the mold boxes with con crete mix. The only control needed at this point is a suitable timing control to provide such a time period as may be required to accommodate the particular size, shape and design of mold box to be used.

The timing control also stops the mold box vibration and the hopper agitators, should the mold box be sufiiciently filled and Packed before the other steps in the cycle being performed on mold box 2| are completed.

As soon as the pallet 44 is clamped against mold box 2| and the mold box 20 is filled, the power cylinder 4| is actuated to move the mold box 20 to a position directly below the finishing head 22. This is accomplished by moving the entire mold supporting carriage on the moveable ways 3| and 32. This movement carries the gate 40 across the mouth of the filling hopper 24 and prevents discharge of the concrete mix from the hopper 24 during this movement of the mold boxes.

When the mold boxes are moved to the right i as viewed in Fig. 2 until the mold box 2| occupies the position shown for mold box 20, the mold box 2| will be in the filling position here shown as occupied by the mold box 20. The mold box 2| will then be filled while the molding of the material in the mold box 2|] is being completed at the finishing station. The table l5 remains in the position here shown until the finishing operation is completed in the mold box 20 and the pallet 44 has been removed therefrom and deposited on the table |5 with its edge in contact with the stop 83.

When the mold box 20 has been moved to the right from its .position as shown in Fig. 2 to the finishing station, it is directly under the finishing head 22 and. directlyover the end of the table l5. When in this position, the power cylinder 12 is actuated and the finishing head 22 is moved into the mold box 20. This movement results in smoothing the surface of the concrete mix inthe mold box and because the entire mold is still vibrating results in further packing the top of the block.

When the desired amount of molding and compaction has been completed, the pallet holding arms 45 and 46 are actuated by the power cylinder 53 to move them away from the bottom of the mold box 2|] while a pressure is exerted through the finishing head 22 on the material in the box. Thus, in the machine of the present invention, the finishing heads 22 and 23, in addition to retaining the material in the mold boxes during the finish molding operations also assist in stripping the uncured, compacted material from the mold.

One complete cycle of the machine is as follows:

, When the pallet 44 carrying a compacted block 84 has been removed from the mold box 20 and has been deposited on the reciprocating table I5 and held in position thereon by the stop 83a,.cyl

inder 85fis actuated to drive table l to the right from the position shownin Fi 2. This moves the pallet and blockto a position on theright over turntable [3. The new pallet 44 has previously been deposited on table I5 and held in position by the stop 82a and is subsequently raised by arms '45 and 46 so that it closes the underside of mold box 29. Simultaneously cylinder T2raises the finishing head 22 so that it is clear of mold box 20.

At this time cylinder 4] moves both mold boxes to the left and the mold boxes then occupy the positions shown in Fig. 2.

Cylinder 12 then lowers finishing head 23 to retain the concrete in mold box 2|, and to facilitate smoothing the top surfaces of the material in mold box 2|. While this is going on and in some cases until the mold boxes are again ready to be moved, the filling and packing operation is going on in the mold box 20.

When thesmoothing and final packing is completed in mold box 2|, then arms 45 and 46 are lowered and simultaneously suflicient pressure is exertedby left hand cylinder 12 on pressure head 23 to strip the finished block from mold box 2!, depositing it upon reciprocating, table I5.

Then cylinder 85 moves reciprocating table [5 to the extreme left position" depositing a pallet 44 with its compacted block 84 on turntable 14. A new pallet 44 is then placed on table i5 directly below mold box 2|.

In Fig. 2, the finishing head 23 is in the mold box 2| in the position it occupies just after the pallet 44 has been removed and the block stripped from the mold. After the block has been stripped from the mold and before move ment of the mold boxes to the right as above described, the cylinder 12 is actuated to raise the finishing head 23 from the mold box 2] before the cylinder 4| is actuated to move the mold box carria e on the sliding ways 32 and 33.

During the filling, packing, smoothing operations, the mold box and the material therein have been vibrated thus densifying the mix in the boxes and assurring the filling of the boxes with a minimum of entrapped air in the material therein. By continuing the vibrationduring the time that the mold boxes are moved from the filling and packing station to the finishing station where the material is smoothed, further densified and then stripped from the mold, I am able to secure an increased amount of vibration without retarding the machine cycle as has heretofore been required in machines of the reciprocating mold box type where the vibration was separately applied to the filled mold box on a vibrating table and then separately applied to the compression head. The machine of the present invention produces a product of unusual uniformity throughout and of such a density that satisfactory finishing can be achieved in a shortened period and with less power required.

Another feature of the present invention is that two blocks of different sizes may be made at the same time by merely providing the mold boxes of the desired size and shape. This is of particular value to the concrete products manufacturer who is required to manufacture blocks of difierent sizes and who, for economic reasons does not desire to have a separate machine for each size of block required.

While I have here shown and described a machine of the multiple mold type as a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is to be understood that the invention may also be ap the discharge end of said hopper, means for mounting said mold box for reciprocation between the discharge end of said feed hopper and said finishing head, timed power means formov-. ing said' mold box and actuating said finishing,

head and a vibrator connected with said mold box and bodily movable therewith, control means to effect a continuous vibration of said mold boxby said vibrator during the filling thereof while under the said material hopper, during transfer of the mold box from said hopper to said finishing head, and during the compaction of the material therein while in contact with said finishing head.

2. A molding machine as claimed in claim 1' and further characterized in that said mold box has an open bottom and a pallet which is vertically movable relative thereto to selectively open,

and close the bottom portion of said. mold box during the fillingof the mold box, during transferring of the mold box from the hopper to said finishing head and during compaction of the material therein.

3. A molding machine as claimed in claim 2 and further characterized in that a timed power actuated pallet removal unit is provided to move the lowered pallet and compressed material away from its lowered position beneath said finishing head.

a. A molding machine as claimed in claim 1 and further characterized in that said material feed hopper comprises a material supply bin having a power driven agitator in the discharge throat thereof.

5. A molding machine as claimed in claim 4 and further characterized in that said mold box has an open bottom and a removable pallet is provided which is movable vertically to selectively open and close the bottom portion of said mold box, said pallet closing the open bottom of the mold box during filling thereof, during the transferring thereof from the hopper "to the finishing head and during compaction of the mate-- rial therein.

6. A molding machine as claimed in claim 5 and further characterized in that timed power means are provided to raise said pallet vertically into position for closing the open bottom of said mold prior to sliding said mold box into filling position beneath said hopper and for lowering said pallet vertically to empty said mold box after completion of the molding of the material there- 1n.

'7. A molding machine as claimed in claim 1 and further characterized in that a plurality of separate mold boxes are mounted for timed reciprocation between said feed hopper and a plurali'ty of said finishing heads, each of said mold boxes being secured to a frame member mounted for sliding movement on ways extending from a point beneath the discharge end of said feed hopper to a point beneath one of said finishing heads.

8. A molding machine as claimed in claim 7 and further characterized in that each of said mold boxes is secured to a frame member mounted for movement from a point beneath the discharge end of said feed hopper to a point beneath one of said finishingheads and in that each of said finishing heads is mounted forvertical move-- ment relative to the top of the mold box associ ated therewith andin that timed power actuated means are provided for lowering said finishing head to assist in compacting the material in the mold box when in position under said finishing head and for raising said finishing head after molding of the material has been completed.

9. A molding machine as claimed in claim 8 andfurther characterized in that vibrator means are attached to said frame members to effect bodily vibration of said frame members and the mold boxes attached thereto.

10. A molding machine as claimed in claim 7 and further characterized in that each of said mold boxes is open at its bottom and is provided with a removable pallet, and in that means are provided for moving a pallet into position vertically to close the bottom of one of each of said mold boxes during the filling thereof, during transferring thereof from the hopper to the finishing head, and during compaction of the material therein.

11. A molding machine as claimed in claim 10 and further characterized in that timed power means are provided to raise said pallet vertically into position for closing the open bottom of one of said mold boxes prior to moving said mold box into filling position beneath said hopper and for lowering said pallet vertically to empty said mold box after molding of the material therein while in contact with one of said finishing heads.

12. A molding machine as claimed in claim 7 and further characterized in that said mold boxes are each resiliently'connected to a gate mounted for sliding movement beneath said feed hopper, said gate having a" closed portion extending'between said mold boxes whereby material is allowed to flow from said feed hopper only while amold box is located thereunder;

a ROBERT O. DAVIS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record 'in'the file of this patent: M V V UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,464,641 Hearn, Jr. 1 Mar; 15-,- 1949 

